Help trying to find sharpest EF primes Wide open

Hi guys and gals. I just made a big switch from a D700 to a 5DMKII and trying to build up a prime collection similar to my Nikon set up. Canon prime's I have had:

-85mm 1.2L II (Not sharp wide open, sold)
-50mm 1.4 (Not sharp wide open, sold)
-135mm f2L (Sharp and the only one I still have)
-24mm 1.4 I (Not sharp wide open,sold)
-100mm 2.8 Macro (Sharp)

I am trying to search on the forum and the net but have not been too successful. I spent good money on these Canon lenses hoping that they would be sharp wide open as the equivalent Nikon sizes were great wide open. Can I have some recommendations for primes that are shop wide open? Possibly the 200mm 2.8L II?

Thanks in advance!

i don't have any of the lenses you're looking at...but you could maybe go thru this site
http://www.the-digital-picture.com …omp=0&FLIComp=0​&APIComp=2

set one side to the 135mmL wide open...and then scroll thru others on the comparison, it also shows how much you'd have to stop down in order to get the sharpness you want

good luck

300f2.8Lis will blow you away wide open lol.

You've set a pretty high standard with the 135L. As the link Dre posted shows, it's among the sharpest lenses wide open that Canon makes.

As are a majority of the other lenses he posted. ie, 85L, 24L, 50/1.4 is debatable.

DreDaze wrote in post #8307000
i don't have any of the lenses you're looking at...but you could maybe go thru this site
http://www.the-digital-picture.com …omp=0&FLIComp=0​&APIComp=2

set one side to the 135mmL wide open...and then scroll thru others on the comparison, it also shows how much you'd have to stop down in order to get the sharpness you want

good luck

Informative site. thanks. I know that sharpness is not the main criteria in creating great photos and also PP can fix certain images. I just wanted to know which lenses in general were sharpest wide open so that I could be more familiar with Canon's lens line up in terms of that one aspect. The 35mm and 85mm are great lenses none the less.

I have the 300 f2.8, 400 f5.6, 200 f2.8, 100 f2, 50 f1.4 and 35 f1.4

The 35 f1.4 is the newest addition to my gear and I've been very impressed with it even open at f1.4. Stopped down it's REALLY stunning. It better be for that price, but still, I've been very impressed with it. I've had the 300 f2.8 for about three years and it's a pretty good reference point.

The 200 f2.8 is also very nice in my opinion, I've mounted a 2x converter on there and it still looks pretty good. 200mm is not necessarily useful to everyone though. If it is to you and you want the best, look into the 200 f2 L. It's really spectacular, and it better be for that price.

I've also been happy with the 100 f2 but the 85 f1.8 is more commonly used by people.

I've also owned the 135L, 200/2.8L, 100/2 and they were all superbly sharp.

Sharpness alone was not the reason I got rid of the "holy trinity". The Nikon 85mm f/1.4 was sharp wide open and focusing was fast enough that I could use it as a walk around lens as well. Anyone who has the Canon 85mm f/1.2 knows that bokeh is amazing but focus is beyond slow.

Thanks guys. I have not personally used the 200mm f/2.8L II but have only heard good things so I will be picking one up tonight.

You won't be disappointed, it's a fantastic lens.

TexRex wrote in post #8307196
Sharpness alone was not the reason I got rid of the "holy trinity". The Nikon 85mm f/1.4 was sharp wide open and focusing was fast enough that I could use it as a walk around lens as well. Anyone who has the Canon 85mm f/1.2 knows that bokeh is amazing but focus is beyond slow.

That's where the Canon 85mm 1.8 comes to the stage.

Terjay wrote in post #8307228
That's where the Canon 85mm 1.8 comes to the stage.

Yeah, I played with one the other day. Good bang for the buck.

My sharpest prime wide open is the 200mm 2.8. Just slightly behind that would be the 100mm 2.8 macro and the 100mm 2.0.

TexRex wrote in post #8306909
Hi guys and gals. I just made a big switch from a D700 to a 5DMKII and trying to build up a prime collection similar to my Nikon set up. Canon prime's I have had:

-85mm 1.2L II (Not sharp wide open, sold)
-50mm 1.4 (Not sharp wide open, sold)
-135mm f2L (Sharp and the only one I still have)
-24mm 1.4 I (Not sharp wide open,sold)
-100mm 2.8 Macro (Sharp)

I am trying to search on the forum and the net but have not been too successful. I spent good money on these Canon lenses hoping that they would be sharp wide open as the equivalent Nikon sizes were great wide open. Can I have some recommendations for primes that are shop wide open? Possibly the 200mm 2.8L II?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, wide open the 135L and 100 macro are very sharp. However, the 135L is an F/2, the 100 macro is an F/2.8. That is 1 and 2 stops, and 1 1/3 and 2 1/3 stops less fast than the other lenses, and hence make those faster lenses potentially look less good.

The 85L is very good wide open, but gets more than excellent at F/2, and remains so till F/11. The 24 F/1.4 was the best lens in its category, until the Mk II came along.

Did you try Micro Focus Adjustment on the 5D II to get the most out of those lenses? Also, at 21 MP and pixel peeping lenses will look less sharp than at 12 MP. I'd suggest using a similar real magnification, as compared to sensor size.

The only lens where I really agree with your findings is the 50 F/1.4. That indeed is not very sharp wide open. It needs F/2.8 to become excellent. BTW, from my experience it performs about the same as the Nikon MF equivalent. Just that the Nikon is built better.

Other sharp Canon primes are the 14 F/2.8L Mk II, the TS-E 17 F/4L, the TS-E 24 F/3.5L Mk II, the 35 F/1.4L, the 50 F/1.2L (slightly soft at F/1.2, extremely sharp at F/2), 200 F/2.8L Mk II, 200 F/2L, and any of the longer primes, especially the fast ones.

Kind regards, Wim